Adjustable air control for tuyeres



June 8, 1965 R. 5. LEE

ADJUSTABLE AIR CONTROL FOR IUYERES Filed Jan. 7, 1963 sas as'm ADJUSTABLE AIR (TGNIRGIL FUR 'IIJYERES Robert S. Lee, Warsaw, Ind, assignor to International Harvester Company, @hicago, Ill, a corporation of New Ierse Filed .Ian. '7, 1963, Ser. No. 249,713

' Claims. (Ill. 266-4li) This invention relates to improvements in tuyeres for the walls of blast furnaces or cupolas, as used in the melting of iron and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved tuyere having provisions for controlling the blast of air which is directed to a cupola or furnace. I

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved tuyere construction having novel control means for directing controlled velocities of air to a blast furnace or cupola so as to increase the production and quality of v the iron produced. s

Still another object is to provide an improved efficient and simplified control for directing air under high pressures and velocities to a blast furnace or cupola, the said control being precise and easily operable.

A still further object of the invention is to provide blast air to a furnace and including means for varying the velocity of air delivered, the said means including a heat resistant sleeve which when twisted in a certain manner will reduce the orifice through which the air flows in a path toward the discharge end of the tuyere. These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the specification when examined in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view through a tuyere showing a wall portion of a blast furnace of cupola,

FIGURE 2 is a'rear end view of a control member for a tuyere shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view'taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1,

United [States Patent G Patented June 8, I965 end of the tubular member 13 is positioned adjacent a discharge end or nozzle 17 formed in the wall 15. The

tubular member I3 also is provided'with an opening 18 communicating with a duct 19 which is connected to a source (not shown) of air under high pressure.

] The opposite end of the tubular member 2ft is provided with an outwardly extending annular flange 23 in turn connected to a flange 24 of a cup-shaped member 25. The cup-shaped member overlaps the outer tubular member 3.2 and seals 26, seal the cup-shaped member 25 from the atmosphere during rotation of the said cupshaped member 25. A rotatable wheel 27 is rigidly se- FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a discharge end of a tuyere showing a flexible sleeve positioned in a manner to control the blast ofair into a furnace,

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIGURE 4, and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing the details of attachment of a flexible sleeve to the end portions of a tuyere.

In FIGURE 1 the tuyere is generally designated by the reference character 10. The tuyere It) is suitably supported on the casing 11 of the cupola or blast furnace which may be of conventional design as used in the industry. Such cupolas or blast furnaces have a series of circumferentially spaced tuyeres positioned around the bottom of the casing for the purpose of blowing air under high pressure into the interior of the casing. The present tuyere comprises an outer tubular box or casing 12 and an inner tubular member 13 concentrically positioned with respect to the tubular member 12 and spaced.

cured to the flanges 23 and 24 by means of'screws 2%..

Thus, upon rotation of the wheel 2'7 the cup-shaped member 25 and tube 26) may be rotated relative to the tube I3.

The wheel 27 also includes a window or opening 29 normally closed by a cover 3t), the said window 29 being conventionally provided for the purpose of visual observation of the interior of the cupola or blast furnace.

An annular member 31 is, as best shown in FIGURE 6, connectedto the tubular member 13 immediately adjacent the discharge nczzle 17. The annular member 31 comprises an annular groove 32 and is provided with an opening 34 communicating with the discharge nozzle 17. The annular member .31 is connected to the tubular member 13 by means of a weld 33 or other securing means.

Another annular member 35 is axially spaced from the member 31 and includes an annular recess 36 in an opening 37. The annular member 35 is connected to the tube 2% by means of a Weld 33 or other suitable connecting means.

The sleeve of heat resistant material 39 has one end portion 56 secured within the recess 32 by means of a split ring Similarly the end portion 41 of the sleeve 39 is secured within the recess 36 by means of a split ring 43. The sleeve 39 is maintained in longitudinally taut position by means of a spring 44 which is held captive between the wall 14 and the flange 2 of the cupshaped member 25. Since the spring 44 urges the tube 20 axially in a direction away from the discharge orifice 17 the sleeve 3% is taut and provides an uninterrupted opening for the air blast entering from the duct 19 through the tube 259 and outwardly through the discharge orifice 17; The sleeve 39 is flexible and may be made from}; a suitable heat resistant material such as asbestos clot In the position of the sleeve 39 as shown in FIGURE 1 the volume of air is directed through the discharge orifice 17. In order to reduce the volume of air, and regulate the velocity it is a simple matter to merely turn the wheel 27 whereupon the sleeve 3? is twisted, as shown in FIGURE 5, thus decreasing the diameter of the sleeve to restrict the volume of air as it passes from the duct 19 through'the discharge orifice 17. The aperture 21 in the tubular member 20 is sufiiciently large so that rotation of the tube 20, for the purpose of decreasing the opening in the sleeve 39, may be accomplished without diminishing the inil-ux of the volume of air from the duct 19 into the tube 20.

and cup-shaped member 25 are moved slightly in the direction of the discharge orifice 1'7. Turning the wheel 27 in the opposite direction to again have the sleeve assume the position shown in the FIGURE 3, of course causes the spring 44 to again move the cup-sha-ped member 25 and tube 20 to the position shown in FIGURE 1.

When the sleeve 39 is twisted to a completely closed position also the tube 20 may be turned sufliciently further so that the opening 21 is closed relative to the duct 19 and thus the air blast can be completely shut oil it so desired. In certain furnaces the blower used has a volume control which penmits control to suit melting requirements. In cases of this type the present improvement is utilized to advantage since the change in orifice size will provide changes in velocities to achieve highest efficiency at the different volumes of air blown.

Thus, it is apparent that a simplified and highly effective control is provided for a tuyere wherein necessary and precise control can be achieved. The slightest adjustments may be easily made in order to direct the volume and velocity of air desired into the cupola or blast furnace. Thus, the objects of the invention have been fully achieved and improvements may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as disclosed or from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tuyere, comprising, an elongated, generally annular cooling fluid chamber adapted to have a cooling fluid circulated therethrough, said cooling fluid chamber being partially defined by an outer tube and an inner tube disposed within and radially spaced from said outer tube, said inner tube having an inner diameter surface, one end of said inner tube being open and serving as an air discharge end; a third tube disposed within and supported by said inner tube for relative longitudinal and rotational movements, the outer diameter surface of said third tube slidably engaging said inner diameter surface of said inner tube, one end of said third tube being closed and the opposite end being open, said open endof said third tube being longitudinally spaced inwardly from said air discharge end of said inner tube and in communication therewith; an air duct extending through said cooling fluid chamber and opening into said third tube intermediate its ends to supply .air thereto under pressure; and means for regulating the discharge of air flowing through said air discharge end including a sleeve of flexible material, means connecting one end of said sleeve to said third tube adjacent the open end thereof, and means connecting the opposite end of said sleeve to said innner tube adjacent the discharge end thereof whereby in one angular attitude of said third tube relative to said inner tube a midportion of said tube defines a certain diameter opening for the passage of air flowing from said open end of said third tube to said discharge end and whereby during rota- 2. A tuyere in accordance with claim 1, including means urging said third tube longitudinally relative to said inner tube to yield-ably maintain said flexible sleeve relatively taut.

3. A tuyere in accordance with claim 2, including means connected to said third tube at the closed end thereof for rotating said third tube relatively to said inner tube.

4. A tuyere, comprising, a first tubular member having a fluid discharge opening; a second tubular member disposed within and supported by said first tubular member for relative longitudinal and rotational movements, said second tubular member having an open end longitudinally spaced from said discharge opening; an air duct communicating with said second tubular memher; a flexible sleeve extending longitudinally between and having respective opposite ends rigidly connected to said second tubular member adjacent said open end thereof and said first tubular member adjacent said discharge opening thereof for providing fluid communication between said second tubular member and said fluid discharge opening; and means connected to said second tubular member fo'r'rotating the same to thereby twist said sleeve and vary the diameter of the minimum opening therethr-oug h to control the air flowing from said open end of said second tubular member to said fluid discharge opening of said first tubular member through said sleeve.

5. A tuyere in accordance with claim 4, including spring means between said first and second tubular members yieldably urging said second tubular member in a direction away from said discharge opening to maintain said sleeve in lengthwise taut condition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 299,572 6/84 Oliver 266- 41 606,545 6/98 Hartranit l22--6.6 1,986,484 1/ 35 Schlueter 251-4 FOREIGN PATENTS 400,793 11/33 Great Britain. 634,975 3/50 Great Britain.

MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner.

JAMES H. TAYMAN, IR., Examiner. 

4. A TUYERE, COMPRISING, A FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING A FLUID DISCHARGE OPENING; A SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER DISPOSED WITHIN AND SUPPORTED BY SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER FOR RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL AND ROTATIONAL MOVEMENTS, SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN OPEN END LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FROM SAID DISCHARGE OPENING; AN AIR DUCT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER; A FLEXIBLE SLEEVE EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY BETWEEN AND HAVING RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE ENDS RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE ENDS RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO THEREOF AND SAID FIRST TUBULAR MEMBER ADJACENT SAID DISCHARGE OPENING THEREOF FOR PROVIDING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER AND SAID FLUID DISCHARGE OPENING; AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND TUBULAR MEMBER FOR ROTATING THE SAME TO THEREBY TWIST SAID SLEEVE AND VARY THE DIAMETER OF THE MINIMUM OPEN- 